IRLF 


9869 

H8M8 


SB    57    312 


GIFT   OF 
A.    F,   Morrison. 


JOSEPH   HUTCHINSON 


JOSEPH  HUTCHINSON 

A  MEMORIAL 

ADOPTED  SEPTEMBER  26,  1910 


BY    THB 

UNITARIAN  CLUB  OF  CALIFORNIA 


,P.I?T  JOP; 

A.F.  r*i. 


JOSEPH    HUTCHINSON 

In  the  death  of  its  president,  Joseph 
Hutchinson,  the  Unitarian  Club  sus- 
tains a  loss  that  it  keenly  feels.  His 
deep  interest  in  its  welfare  was  shown 
by  most  assiduous  efforts  for  the  success 
of  the  meetings  during  his  two  terms  of 
leadership.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  sus- 
tain the  high  traditions  of  the  club  and 
to  hold  to  the  standard  steadily  main- 
tained during  these  many  years,  and  no 
sacrifice  was  too  great,  no  expense  of 
time  or  money  worth  considering,  if  he 
could  succeed  in  his  efforts.  No  results 
can  measure  endeavor.  The  many  dis- 
appointments and  failures  to  secure 
speakers  sought,  leave  no  mark  and  are 
unregistered,  save  in  the  regrets  of 
those  who  strive  in  vain,  but  Mr.  Hutch- 
inson's  persistence  and  determined  will 
overcame  difficulties,  and  many  memor- 
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able  meetings  were   added  to  the  fair 
record  of  the  Club. 

Joseph  Hutchinson  was  an  unusual 
man,  gifted  in  many  ways,  and  of  great 
capacity  for  service.  Bearing  uncom- 
plainingly a  physical  infirmity  that 
made  draughts  upon  his  strength  and 
equanimity  little  suspected,  by  dint  of 
a  fine  mind  and  a  strong  will  he  com- 
passed a  conspicuous  success  in  his  pro- 
fession, lived  a  happy  and  exemplary  do- 
mestic life,  and  bore  a  full  part  in  pub- 
lic affairs,  effectively  promoting  clean 
politics,  social  welfare,  morality,  and  rea- 
sonable religion.  He  was  a  natural  leader 
of  men  and  a  tireless  worker.  Whatever 
organization  he  shared  in  found  him 
among  its  most  active  members,  and  that 
from  no  desire  to  be  at  the  front  or  to 
attract  attention;  his  interest  prompted 
activity,  and  his  ability  resulted  in  un- 
sought prominence.  In  the  Common- 
wealth Club  he  was  the  member  of  his 
section  best  fitted  to  report  on  the  direct 
4 


primary  and  on  methods  of  taxation. 
He  was  well-read  on  every  subject,  a 
thorough  student  whose  opinions  were 
formed  on  searching  analysis  and  can- 
did, judicial  consideration,  and  the  con- 
clusions he  reached  were  always  clearly 
and  forcibly  expressed. 

If  in  the  Chit  Chat  Club  he  was  to 
write  an  essay,  he  prepared  in  a  manner 
impossible  to  most  members.  His  inter- 
est in  his  selected  subject  was  boundless. 
When  he  was  to  write  on  Mazzini  he  not 
only  read  practically  all  he  had  written, 
but  all  that  had  been  written  of  him,  and 
then  sought  further  the  true  Mazzini 
atmosphere  by  making  a  pilgrimage 
to  the  land  in  which  he  lived  and  visit- 
ing the  tomb  in  which  he  rested. — with 
a  resulting  monograph  widely  and 
warmly  commended  by  those  best  quali- 
fied to  appreciate. 

With  a  clear,  active  and  versatile 
mind,  and  an  intense  interest  in  all 
things  human,  Mr.  Hutchinson  had  a 
5 


true  sense  of  humor.  He  readily  saw  the 
ridiculous  side  of  a  thing  and  had  a  gift 
of  putting  it  tellingly.  He  was  some- 
times satirical  and  always  witty.  We 
all  recall  his  felicity  in  presiding  at  a 
meeting  and  his  happy  introduction  of 
men  and  subjects.  Occasionally  he  seemed 
somewhat  regardless  of  results.  He  was 
daring,  but  he  was  unconscious  of  of- 
fense and  would  not  knowingly  wound 
the  feelings  of  another.  He  had  a  vein 
of  critical  judgment  and  was  not  apt 
to  withhold  an  unfavorable  opinion 
which  he  entertained.  In  his  earlier 
life  he  was  inclined  to  be  severe  and  to 
have  little  generosity  of  judgment, but  he 
mellowed  with  age  and  grew  more  kindly. 
His  very  early  youth  was  rigidly  re- 
strained. His  grandfather  was  an  aus- 
tere Quaker,  who,  when  he  heard  the  boy 
whistle,  would  say:  "Joseph,  will  thee 
never  be  serious?"  We  who  knew  him  as 
a  young  man  thought  him  quite  suffic- 
iently serious.  He  seemed  burdened  with 
6 


a  heavy  sense  of  responsibility;  there 
was  an  absence  of  joy  in  his  religious  life, 
and  he  was  almost  morbidly  conscien- 
tious, but  larger  experience  and  ripened 
judgment  brought  a  sunnier,  happier 
frame  of  mind.  He  grew  more  lenient 
and  trustful.  When  I  found  that  as  su- 
perintendent of  a  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school  at  Palo  Alto  he  was  using  a  Uni- 
tarian song  book,  because  he  liked  the 
tunes  and  found  the  words  more  in  ac- 
cord with  his  taste  and  convictions,  I 
felt  he  was  gaining  in  humanity  what 
he  was  losing  in  strict  orthodoxy. 

He  found  himself  at  home  in  this  club, 
and  while  not  by  profession  a  Unitarian, 
he  was  in  sympathy  with  all  that  at 
its  best  Unitarianism  stands  for.  When 
asked  to  be  the  president  of  the  club, 
he  wrote :  "If  the  club  can  stand  a  rene- 
gade Presbyterian,  and  an  unsound  Con- 
gregationalist,  I  am  willing  to  accept." 
He  became  a  true  religious  liberal,  ap- 
preciating the  good  in  many  varying 
7 


forms,  and  harboring  no  narrow  preju- 
dices. His  friends  were  of  every  shade 
of  belief  and  doubt,  from  Catholicism 
to  agnosticism. 

His  domestic  life  was  truly  happy. 
He  was  proud  and  fond  of  his  high- 
minded  father.  For  his  sister  and  his 
brothers  his  affection  was  very  great, 
and  for  his  wife  and  his  children  his 
love  and  care  were  boundless.  Family 
loyalty  was  strong,  and  his  home  was 
always  first  in  his  thoughts. 

Joseph  Hutchinson  was  a  loyal  friend. 
As  with  hooks  of  steel  he  held  to  those 
who  won  his  esteem  and  regard.  His  col- 
lege class  loyally  followed  his  leadership, 
and  at  its  last  reunion  he  was  called  to 
preside  at  the  dinner  and  lead  them  in 
pleasant  paths  of  old  memories  and  the 
sharing  of  life  experiences. 

He  appreciated  the  best  of  everything 
— good  literature,  good  music,  the  beauty 
of  nature,  and  the  companionship  of  con- 
genial friends.  He  was  fond  of  travel, 
8 


and  had  seen  many  lands.  He  enjoyed 
much  and  let  the  world  know  it ;  his  suf- 
fering he  kept  to  himself.  In  spite  of 
much  that  must  have  tried  him,  he  was 
uniformly  cheerful.  Earnest  and  of  a 
serious  purpose  in  life,  his  manner  was 
gracious  and  friendly. 

His  assiduity  was  boundless  and  the 
sum  of  all  he  did  will  never  be  told. 
Without  a  doubt,  he  bore  more  than 
anyone  knew,  and  accomplished  a  very 
great  deal.  His  services  were  of  a  kind 
that  tell  in  the  general  result,  but  are 
not  to  be  tabulated  in  figures.  He  was 
always  ready  to  do  his  part  with  un- 
stinted generosity.  The  last  professional 
work  done  by  Mr.  Hutchinson  was  in 
connection  with  the  charitable  work  of  a 
church  in  Palo  Alto — a  gratuitous  con- 
tribution. 

Never  robust,  it  is  matter  of  wonder 

that  for  so  many  years  he  could  have 

done  so  much,  and  that  the  time  should 

come  when  the  silver  chord  should  be 

9 


loosed  and  the  golden  bowl  be  broken  is 
not  just  cause  for  surprise. 

He  leaves  a  large,  vacant  place  hi  the 
activities  of  the  community  and  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  knew  his  worth  and 
loved  him. 

In  testimony  of  our  sincere  respect  for 
his  memory  and  of  our  deep  sympathy 
with  those  near  and  dear  to  him,  I  move 
a  standing  vote  and  a  moment  of  silence, 
— a  hale  and  farewell  to  one  who  suf- 
fered silently  and  lived  truly, — a  brave, 
upright,  helpful,  and  lovable  man. 

CHARLES  A.  MURDOCK. 


10 


M.  Reg.  U.S.  Pat.  Off. 


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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


